Chris Hindley

1
Childrens issues and what they tell
us To enable children and young
people to have a voice by providing independent
and confidential advice support, information,
and advocacy services
Chris Hindley
2
The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS)

• A UK charity providing childrens rights and
  socio-legal services.
• We offer information, advice, support and legal
  representation to children and young people up to
  the age of 25.
• NYAS has a network of advocates and qualified
  social workers supported by telephone advisors
  and a dedicated legal team.
• We have been awarded the Legal Services Quality
  Mark.
• NYAS provides a safety net for children and young
  people who have nowhere else to turn, and we
  never  turn a child away.

3
NYAS' Experience

• Thirty years of providing advocacy to children
  and young people in specialist settings
• Developing, Planning and Delivering bespoke and
  innovative services within a given time scale
• Provides an effective safety net for children
  and temperature gauge for those responsible for
  them

4
Delivering Services across England and Wales
Local Authorities/NHS Trusts
Individual Units
Independent Contracts
NYAS Offices
5
The Impact of Advocacy

• Early intervention and regular access to
  independent advocacy, prevents minor concerns
  from becoming major problems.
• Reduces the incidence of self-harm
• Resolves family conflict
• Improves parenting
• Identifies and helps to address the problems of
  bullying and racism
• Ensures that children's wishes and feelings are
  taken into account during decision making
  processes

6
NYAS in Blaenau Gwent

• Have delivered Independent Advocacy Services
  since Jan 2006
• Provides Independent Issue Based Advocacy
• Provides independent Visitors
• Undertakes Participation work
• The Service offers independent and confidential
  information, advice, advocacy, representation and
  support to ensure that professionals and families
  are enabled to work effectively together in the
  best interests of children and young people

7
NYAS' ability to effectively capture information
and data, analyse and report findings
8
Through PRISM - Electronic Case
Management Ensures accurate data capture and
transfer
9
What issues are children in Blaenau Gwent
raising with NYAS?

• NYAS received 60,000 contacts from children and
  young people across England Wales Free phone,
  Text, online chat, email and directly to the
  Coordinator
• An Advocate was allocated on 1825 occasions
• During the period of the contract 79 children and
  young people in Blaenau Gwent have been allocated
  an Advocate
• The majority of these young people were over 11
• Overwhelming majority described themselves as
  white Welsh
• Predominately found out about NYAS by Word of
  Mouth

01/04/07 - 31/03/08
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Who accesses NYAS Services in Blaenau Gwent?
Proportion of Looked After Children 01/04/07 -
31/03/08
11
Who accesses NYAS Services in Blaenau Gwent?
Proportion of Children with a disability
01/04/07 - 31/03/08
12
Who made the referral to N YAS in Blaenau Gwent?
Source of Enquiry 01/04/07 - 31/03/08
13
What issues are children in Blaenau Gwent
raising with NYAS?
Issues raised with NYAS by Children Under 11
01/04/07 - 31/03/08
14
What issues are children in Blaenau Gwent
raising with NYAS?
All Wales
England
Blaenau Gwent
Comparison of the Issues raised 01/04/07 -
31/03/08
15
What issues are children in Blaenau Gwent
raising with NYAS?
Issues raised with NYAS by Young People over 11
01/04/07 - 31/03/08
16
What issues are children in Blaenau Gwent
raising with NYAS?
All Wales
England
Blaenau Gwent
Comparison of the Issues raised 01/04/07 -
31/03/08
17
Last but not least - What children say about us

• My problems with social services were sorted
  because of NYAS.
• My advocate was a big help and really helped me
  talk to my Dad.
• She comes to my meetings and helps me to plan
  what I want to say
• NYAS always did things when they said they
  would, and always told me what was going on, she
  was excellent.
• You were a great help to me so thank you